Wethersfield board grants students’ request

Friday

Oct 11, 2013 at 6:45 AM

Fourth graders ask for help in fighting litter

Dave Clarke

A class of Wethersfield fourth graders learned how to get things done Thursday night, convincing the school board to spend $50 on signs to fight littering on the playground.Four of the 20 students in Sue VanDeVelde’s class, assisted by elementary teacher Paula Horsely, made a presentation based on their work in a real world Common Core curriculum problem-solving project.Addressing the board were fourth graders Landon Smith, Aimery Jackson, Kennedy Raes and Jesse Sandoval.They presented a letter in which the class stated they are proud of their school playground and felt littering has become a problem there. They said when people walk around the school grounds on a fitness walk they want them to know the students are proud of the area where they play. Students took photos of actual debris on the ground and included them in a PowerPoint presentation which included the text of their letter to the board.They pointed out that they had checked with Say It Signs, of Kewanee, on the best material and cost. Their fact-finding- determined that two 18 by 24-inch metal signs could be purchased for $25 apiece. The students offered to make one of the signs themselves, but the board agreed to pay for both. The students will design the signs, which will be placed at strategic locations on the playground west of the elementary school.In other business:n The board approved a life safety amendment for $140,000 to pay for the last section of the new roof on the elementary portion of the building. A $50,000 state matching maintenance grant will offset the cost.n Learned from Superintendent Shane Kazubowski that the Harry Anderson Trust Fund, administered by the First United Methodist Church “to provide education and support for youth of the community to become productive members of society,” will, from now on, divide an annual amount among Wethersfield, Kewanee and Visitation schools based on enrollment. Kazubowski thanked the trustees and said the funds will be used at Wethersfield to offset the expenses of educational activities such as field trips.n After review in a required public hearing held before the regular meeting, the board approved continuation of a holiday waiver which has been in effect for a number of years which gives administrators flexibility of scheduling during the school year. Approved are Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln’s Birthday and Casimir Pulaski Day. Kazubowski pointed out the district, in the past, has only waived Lincoln’s Birthday and Casmir Pulaski Day to balance out the weekly calendar or to make up snow days.n The board received a thank you from senior student Jack Reynolds for letting him serve as an intern in the technology department this last summer. Ranked first in his class, Reynolds missed a perfect score in math on his ACT test last year by one point and plans to take the test again this year. A Wethersfield student has scored a perfect 36 in math on their ACT in five of the past seven years.

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